Beloved Brethren and Sisters in Christ:

The day of apostasy is hastening on with rapid strides, and also the day in which the Lord shall
come to snatch His own away. The present moment is of so solemn a character that I feel
constrained to address you this word of exhortation. Godly men everywhere, who watch the signs
of the times, see the moment approaching which shall terminate the present actings of grace. The
time has evidently arrived when one must speak plainly and decisively, and ask you where you
are and what you are doing.

You have by grace_ which has shone brighter and brighter as it has approached its termination_
been gathered out of the seething mass of idolatry and wickedness which now threatens
Christendom and the world with an overthrow more awful than that of Sodom and Gomorrah of
old. The question is whether you are adequately impressed with the responsibility, as well as the
blessedness, of the ground you are on, and walking like men and women whose eyes have been
opened. Believe me, there has never been in the world’s history such a time as the present, and
Satan is occupied with none as he is with you; and his occupation with you is the more to be
feared because of the subtlety of his operations. His object is to withdraw your attention from
Christ while you suppose you are on safe ground and have nothing to fear. He would destroy you
with the very truth itself. For mark the subtlety:you are on safe ground, but only while Christ is
your all in all. ( Ed. note:The author has in view here the testimony of the Christian_ our living
before God and before men in harmony with the heavenly position and character into which every
"born again" person is put at new birth. The security of our blessed relationship with Christ is not
in question, but the danger of loss of blessing and lack of spiritual advancement through its not
being lived out is warned against.) Here is where Satan is drawing some away. Interpose anything
between your soul and Christ and your "Philadelphia" becomes "Laodicea" (see Rev. 2 and 3);
your safe ground is as unsafe as the rest of Christendom, your strength is gone from you, and you
are become weak like any ordinary mortal.

Some of you are young, recently converted, or brought to the right ways of the Lord, and you do
not know the depths of Satan. But you are hereby solemnly warned of your peril, and if mischief
overtake you, you cannot plead ignorance. Again I say, Satan has his eye especially upon you for
the purpose of bringing the world, in some form, between your soul and Christ. He cares not how
little, or in what form. If you knew how little will answer to Satan’s purpose, you would be
alarmed. He does not begin by bringing in that which is gross or shameful; such is the
development, not the beginning of evil. It is not by anything glaring that he seeks to ruin you, but
in small and seemingly harmless things-things that would not shock or offend anyone as things go,
and yet these constitute the deadly and insidious poison which is destined to ruin your testimony
and withdraw you from Christ.

Do you ask what are these alarming symptoms and where are they seen? The question does but
show what is the character of the opiate at work. Brethren and sisters, you are being infected with
the spirit of the world. Your dress, your manner, your talk, your lack of spirituality, betray it in
every gathering. There is a dead weight, a restraint, a want of power that reveals itself in the

meetings as plainly as if your heart were visibly displayed and its thoughts publicly read. A form
of godliness without power is beginning to be seen among you as plainly as in Christendom
generally. As surely as you tamper with the world, so surely will you drift away to its level. This
is in the nature of things. It must be so. If you tamper with the world, the privileged place you
occupy, instead of shielding you, will only expose you to greater condemnation. It must be Christ
or the world. It cannot be Christ and the world. God’s grace in drawing you out of the world in
your ignorance is one thing, but God will never permit you to prostitute His grace, and play fast
and loose, when you have been separated from the world. Remember that you take the place and
claim the privileges of one whose eyes have been opened; and if on the one hand this is
unspeakably blessed (and it is), on the other hand it is the most dreadful position in which a human
being can be found. It is to say, "Lord, Lord," while you do not the things that He bids. It is to
say, "I go, sir," as he said who went not.

Beloved, I am persuaded better things of you, though I thus speak, and I have confidence in you
in the Lord, that you will bless Him for these few faithful words. Oh, awake then from your
lethargy, slumber no longer, put away your idols and false gods, wash your garments, and get
back to the Lord, finding Him to be better than ever you knew Him, even in your best days. Lay
aside your last bit of worldly dress; guard your speech that it be of Christ and His affairs. Let your
prayers mingle with those of other saints at the prayer meetings_they never were more needed.
Neglect no opportunity of gathering up instruction from that Word which alone can keep you from
the paths lot die destroyer, and let your Me be the evidence of the treasures you gather up at the
Bible studies. If you want occupation which will win a glorious reward from a beloved Master,
ask that Master to set you to work for Him; you will never regret it, either in this world or in that
which is to come.

Beloved, bear with me. I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. You belong to Christ, and
Christ to you (see 2 Cor. 11:1-3). Let not the betrothed one be unfaithful to her Bridegroom! Why
should you be robbed and spoiled? And for what? Empty husks and bitter fruits while you waste
this little span of blessing! All the distinctions acquired here in the energy of the Spirit will but
serve to enhance your beauty and render you more lovely in .the eyes of Him who has espoused
you to Himself. Can you refuse Him His delights in you? Can you refuse Him the fruit of the
travail of His soul, who once hung, a dying man, between two thieves on Calvary, a spectacle to
men and angels, and for you. He could have taken the world without the cross and left you out,
but He would not; and now, will you, having been enriched by those agonies and that blood, take
the world into your tolerance and leave Him out? Impossible! Your pure mind but needs to be
stirred up by way of remembrance.

Let us therefore take courage from this very moment. We have lately been offering up prayers,
confessing the lack of piety and devotedness. May we not take this word as the answer of our
ever-gracious, faithful Lord, to arouse us_to reawaken our drooping energies? And then the more
quickly He comes the better. We shall "not be ashamed before Him at His coming."

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15).